Stratford University, which aimed to inspire students to “Be the Boss,” closed its doors two years ago, leaving prospective students disheartened. However, in a concerning trend, the names of several closed colleges, including Stratford, have resurfaced on the internet as impostor websites. These fake universities lack accreditation and are not authorized to receive federal financial aid, raising serious questions about their legitimacy and motives.
Kari Kammel, an expert on counterfeiting and protection at Michigan State University, expressed bewilderment at these counterfeit sites and suggested that identity theft could be a motive behind their operation. The imposter websites, which include colleges that shut down years ago as well as more recent closures, have been able to trick students into applying, potentially stealing their personal and financial information in the process. Federal oversight agencies have failed to address these issues, leaving students vulnerable to scams.
While efforts have been made to take down some of these phony university websites, questions remain about who is behind these operations and what their end goals are. Some individuals, like Roy Virgen, CEO of American Education Inc., have been linked to multiple closed colleges and are suspected of playing a role in resurrecting these institutions online. The lack of clarity and oversight in this area highlights the need for stricter regulations to prevent unsuspecting students from falling victim to these deceptive practices.
